Lever opening screw cap



ug. 10, 1937. s. G. MAR'nNELLl LEVER OPENING SCREW CAP 2 Sheets-Sheet lFiled Oct. 14, 1936 'J2 S. G. Mar/Mil Aug. 10, 1937. s. G. MARTINELLI iLEVER OPENING SCREW CAP Fild oct. 14, 195e l 2 sheets-sneet'z Qz'lmwr@ yl www Patented Aug. 1U, 1937 man;

garer trie 3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in leveropening screw caps, and itconsists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements hereindescribed and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a screw caphaving abutments orflanges thereon by means of which the cap can be turned to detach itfrom a jar, bottle, or other similar container having a threaded neck,and in which the cap and the abutments or anges are stamped from asingle piece of metal.

A further object is to provide a device oi the type described which doesnot weaken the cap by the use of struck-up portions, but which on thecontrary provides double or even triple thicknesses of metal for thoseparts that bear the strain.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed which may be operated by the insertion of an ordinary tableknife blade between the flanges, and in which the parts that receive thegreatest force from the tool or knife blade used in detaching the capare so designed as to aord a greater resistance to strain.

A further object of the invention is to provide the screw top withflanges or abutting members which can be used to unscrew the top or toscrew it on, and which is made in such a manner that a comparativelythin metal blank can be used in stamping out the top, as distinguishedfrom those tops which necessarily must be of heavier material to holdthe lugs, flanges or other means, and to withstand the strain which isimparted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a screw cap havingdetaching means which can be operated by an ordinary case knife, andwhich, being a stamped article, can be made at a relatively small cost.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification,and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part ofthis application, in which:-

Figure l shows a plan view oi a. stamped blank from which the cap ismade.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts folded.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the complete cap which forms thepreferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4 6 of Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2,

Figure 6 is a section on the line ii-E of Fig. 2.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a blank for constructing a modied form oi thecap.

Figure 8 is a plan View showing the cap in bended condition after therst operation of bending.

Figure 9 is a perspective view oi a cap having a deep or wide skirt.

Figure l is a plan View of the cap shown in Fig. 9.

Figure l1 is a side view of the cap shown in Fig. 9, a portion being cutaway to show the parts in section, and,

Figure l2 is an enlarged sectional view through a portion of the capshown in Fig. 9.

Referring now particularlyto Figure 1, I have shown therein a blankconsisting of a body portion l, having edges 2, formed on the arc of acircle. This body portion has a pair of eXtensions 3 and l respectively,the outer edges of which are curved on an arc to conform to thecurvature of the arcs 2. As will be seen from the drawings, there areside cuts 5, 6, and 'l respectively which sever the extensions on thesides from the body portion. There are also cut-away portions 8 at thesides of the extensions. The purpose of these cut-away portions will beeX- plained later. The lines 9, iii and H indicate where the metal isbent.

Each of the extensions 3 and i is bent in such a manner as to formopposed iianges or abutments. Thus in Fig. 6 it will be seen that theextensions are bent on the central line 9, on the line lil and on theline Il to form the abutments A and B. This draws the extensionsinwardly so that the outer ends form a continuous circle with the arcs2.

The sides of the extensions and the adjacent sides of the body portionare brought together and lapped around each other so as to form aninterlocking joint like that indicated in Fig. 4.-. The cuts 8 form tabsi2 which are bent around the bent edge of the body portion l, as shownin Fig. 5. It will be understood that Figs, l and are enlarged for thesake of clearness. As a Inatter of fact, the metal is very thin and thejoints thus formed are pressed down tightly. These joints, if desired,may be soldered. In Fig. 2 I have shown the device as it appears afterthe parts have been bent and the joints made.

The outer edge of the blank is now bent downwardly at about the line I3,in Fig. 2, to form the skirt of the cap which is threaded in anysuitable manner.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a modified form of the device which isvery similar to that form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, except that theseams or joints are in parallel relation in Fig. 7 instead of beingradially disposed, as in the rst forni described. In this form of thedevice the metal is bent along the lines 9', lli', Il', which correspondto the lines 9, Ill and ll in Fig. l and the joints or seams runningtoward the outer periphery are made in the manner' already described. InFig. 8, however, it will be seen that the blank which now has theflanges A and B is provided with seams or joints which are parallel toeach other instead of being radially disposed.

In Figures 9 to 12 inclusive I have :shown a modified form of thedevice, including a wide or deep threaded skirt, and in which the topportion is made precisely like that already described in connection withFigure 1. The skirt portion C is made of a single strip of metal whichis joined at its ends with overlapping joints, such as that shown inFig. 4, and is connected with the top by a similar joint or bead, as isshown at M.

In each of the forms shown opposed abutments or flanges are providedbetween which a tool such as a case knife, may be thrust to use as alever in either unscrewing or screwing the cap into place, thus avoidingthe necessity of the use of a can opener or Wrench.

It will be noted that the flanges are of metal which is double thick, asshown in Fig. 6, and that furthermore, the ends of these flanges arereinforced by the tabs l2 so that additional strength is given at theends vwhere the engagement or bearing of the knife will take place. Whenthe knife is thrust in between the anges and turned, the bearing willcome largely at the lend of one flange, and at the opposite end of theopposed flange, depending upon which way the knife is moved. Since thesecorners are strength- Since the screw top including the flanges isreadily done by stamping, it can be made very cheaply. I have statedthat the seams could be soldered but in many instances it is entirelysufcient to make use of a liner of cork or pulp board faced withnon-pervious paper, or a liner of rubber faced metal, thus obviating thechance of leakage even if the joints are not soldered. Of course the capcould be used with the ordinary rubber sealing ring, which is generallydone when vacuum sealing is desired.

I'claim:

1. A screw cap for containers including a circular sheet metal topyprovided with opposed flanges disposed inwardly from the outer edge ofthe top, each of said fianges consisting of two layers of the sheetmetal, and interlocking seams extending from the corners of the flangesto the edge of the top.

2. A screw cap for containers consisting of a single piece of sheetmetal and including a top and. an integral threaded skirt, said topbeing provided with opposed flanges disposed inwardly from the outeredge of the top, each of said anges consisting of two layers of thesheet metal and interlocking seams extending from the corners of theflanges across the top and to the edge of the threaded skirt.

3. A screw cap for containers including a circular sheet metal topprovided with opposed flanges disposed inwardly from the outer edge ofthe top, each of said flanges consisting of two layers of sheet metal,interlocking seams extending from the corners of the flanges to the edgeof the top, and a threaded skirt having an interlocking connection withsaid top at the outer edge of the top.

STEPHEN G. MARTINELLI.

